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The differences between chief technology officers and chief operating officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes More than 10 years to become both a chief technology officer and a chief operating officer. Additionally, a chief technology officer has an average salary of $172,989, which is higher than the $136,604 average annual salary of a chief operating officer.
The top three skills for a chief technology officer include infrastructure, cloud and architecture. The most important skills for a chief operating officer are healthcare, customer service, and oversight.
| Chief Technology Officer | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $172,989 | $136,604 |
| Hourly rate | $83.17 | $65.67 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 124,289 | 128,993 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 52 | 52 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The job of chief technology officers (CTOs) is to oversee the technological needs and research and development of an organization. The CTOs, who are like chief information officers, make decisions for a company's technology infrastructure that aligns with the organization's business goals. They must ensure that they are updated on new and existing technologies for them to guide the company's future endeavors. Other responsibilities include fixing issues related to information technology, developing and managing the company's technological resources, and participating in management decisions on corporate governance.
A chief operating officer, also known as a COO, is a high-ranking official who oversees a company or organization's daily administrative and overall operations. They are typically the second in the chain of command, reporting directly to the company's chief executive officer, also known as a CEO. Among their duties include developing strategies and guidelines, reviewing reports, performing assessments, and implementing the company's policies, standards, and regulations. Additionally, they lead and empower staff to reach goals, helping solve issues and concerns when any arise.
Chief technology officers and chief operating officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chief Technology Officer | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Average salary | $172,989 | $136,604 |
| Salary range | Between $105,000 And $284,000 | Between $81,000 And $229,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | InPhonex | Baker McKenzie |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a chief technology officer and a chief operating officer in terms of educational background:
| Chief Technology Officer | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between chief technology officers' and chief operating officers' demographics:
| Chief Technology Officer | Chief Operating Officer | |
| Average age | 52 | 52 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4% | Male, 76.6% Female, 23.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 7.7% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 7.5% White, 76.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |